PGM 933 'SACRED SONGS of MARY' : Week of Dec. 17th...

In the Christian tradition, some of the most tender, heartfelt and exalted sacred music has been created in memory of Mary, mother of Jesus.

Veneration of Mary has been a subject of devotion in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions since the 2nd century, while Marian hymns and songs have been part of the Christian folk and choral music traditions since medieval times.

This abundance of love has produced a wealth of sacred and devotional music that nourishes us during the winter holidays. Though not worshipped as divine, the spirit of Mary floats over Christian history like a beneficent cloud, carrying a message of eternal feminine wisdom, patience and compassion.

In 2010, our longtime guest producer for classical and sacred spacemusic ELLEN HOLMES collected her favorites for an album that's the basis for this program called SACRED SONGS OF MARY. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, Marian music from the 12th to the 21st century by JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH, GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL, CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI, ANTHONY HOLBORNE, JOHN TAVENER, ERIC WHITACRE, MORTEN LAURIDSEN, and more.